ESPN: Artur Asilbekovich Beterbiev vs Oleksandr Sergeevich Gvozdyk RBR

David ''The Hayemaker'' Haye OBE on Gvozdyk vs Beterbiev

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David Haye has backed Artur Beterbiev to unify the light-heavyweight division against Oleksandr Gvozdyk tonight.

The pair put their respective world titles and unbeaten records on the line in Philadelphia in a potential fight of the year.

Beterbiev has won each of his 14 professional fights by KO - but Haye expects him to take the long way round against Gvozdyk.

"Artur Beterbiev and Oleksandr Gvozdyk will head into this showdown truly confident in their abilities and will be desperate to prove they are No.1 in the world," he said.

"In modern boxing it's rare that we get two undefeated champions going up against each other in a fight of this magnitude.

"There's also that huge international sporting rivalry that exists between Russia and Ukraine, so I think it's great for boxing. I'm expecting a high-quality affair

"This fight hasn't and will not get the media attention it deserves during the build-up. Regardless of that, it matches two of the best light heavyweights in the world going at it from the first bell.

"We have two undefeated fighters, two men with tremendous professional records who have fought the very best from the beginning of their careers. They have both become world champions in less than 15 fights apiece and that tells you everything you need to know."

Beterbiev won his world title two years ago by stopping Enrico Koelling while Gvozdyk upset Adonis Stevenson last year to win his.

And Haye added: "Both fighters involved here have tremendous knockout records, some of the biggest KO percentages in the light heavyweight division.

"Beterbiev brings a 100 per cent average and Gvozdyk carries an 82 per cent average, so to say they are heavy handed is an understatement. Not only have they been knocking people out, they've been doing it at a very high standard, at world championship level.

"It's all well and good having a run of KOs against domestic or European fighters but when you're doing it against the best in the business, it really shows the true magnitude of the power.

"I'm really looking forward to this fight and it's easy to get caught up in the knockout power on show but it's also worth remembering Beterbiev and Gvozdyk have quality international experience as amateurs.

"I'd slightly lean towards Artur Beterbiev to win on points. Sometimes when you get two fighters with huge knockout ratios you expect it to be a case of who hits who first, but it doesn't always work out like that.

"I am going for Beterbiev for a close points decision. Although they both have tremendous punching power, I believe both have good enough defences to negate the other's offensive attributes.

"It will be high skilled, high level boxing match but I'm siding with Beterbiev to find a way to nick the majority of the rounds and sneak through."

 

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To this.

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